Description
Dieppe-born Jean R. initially made his name racing and rallying in the 1950’s at the wheel of self-prepared rear-engined Renaults. The master of the diminutive 4CV, he secured class wins in such major events as the Mille Miglia and Coupe Des Alpes rally. Quick to incorporate his own modifications, he replaced the three-speed gearboxes with five-speed units and even built some lightweight alloy-bodied cars that he campaigned with success at Le Mans and Sebring. It was then a short step to the formation of ‘Societe des Automobiles Alpine’ and cars of his own design – the name was chosen to reflect his past successes in alpine rallies – and the company’s first offering, the A106, was a star of the 1954 Paris Salon. Embodying the best of everything he had learnt from his modified Renaults, the A106 was a rear-engined Coupe based on Renault 4CV mechanicals and clothed in a lightweight body made of fibreglass. Alpine then conspired with Michelotti to produce a stylish low-slung Cabriolet version which was underpinned by an especially stiff backbone chassis of the type that would become Alpine’s hallmark.
The Fabrica Automobile Societa Anonyma or F.A.S.A were a tuning company that were licensed to build Renault motorcars for the Spanish market. With the expertise of Jean Rédélé and Manuel Jiménez Alfaro, they used their motorsport facilities to tune Alpines with Renault supplied components and gained a reputation for excellent limited edition models with a strong racing emphasis.
Just like Michelotti, F.A.S.A were successful in producing a ‘stylish low-slung Cabriolet’ and this is what we are proud to have on offer with us here today.
This particular example has been owned by the current vendor for almost 20 years and having been subject to an older restoration, is described to be in good condition throughout.
Despite being considered very collectable and desirable in France and Italy, due to very low production numbers, on a global scale these very stylish and evocative little Alpines are still, even today, only now being really understood and are becoming increasingly collectable.
Posing a clearly fantastic investment opportunity, these Alpines are also great fun to drive and are truly iconic in design and identifiable world-wide.
